


Unexpected Date

by elletromil



Series: Snapshots of another life [10]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Meet-Cute, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-21 03:41:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12448929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elletromil/pseuds/elletromil
Summary: Harry is late for their dinner date, but for once Merlin really doesn't care. Not when he's got Eggsy to make conversation with.





	1. Merlin

**Author's Note:**

> So this is really a self-indulgent story I wrote inspired by that vogue shoot with Mark Strong and Taron Egerton. Hopefully others will enjoy the story too ;)

Harry is, unsurprisingly, late again.

Usually it doesn’t matter much since Merlin always takes his husband’s bad habit into considerarion when making reservations and the likes, but he’s been sitting for a good ten minutes already and there is still no sign of him.

As he checks his phone again for the time, he gets a notification and he sighs in slight frustration when he opens the text. Of course, Harry just had to be stuck in traffic tonight. He doesn’t get mad however. Half an hour isn’t such a long wait and at least Harry has actually texted him. Back when they first started dating, well over a decade ago, that wouldn’t have even crossed his mind.

He just wished he had brought some of his paperwork with him or a book. But he had been running late himself and hadn’t want to give Harry the satisfaction of being early for once. Merlin might forgive him many sins, but having him smiling smugly all through dinner would have been infuriating and Merlin had wanted them both to be enjoying themselves.

It’s all pretty moot now however and he resigns himself to do some people watching to will away the time. And also to resist from stuffing his face into the warm complimentary bread the waiter just brought on the table. For the price they’ll be paying, it simply wouldn’t do to ruin his own appetite.

He’s looking around, wondering if he should sit on his hands so they don’t pick up one of the little loafs without his noticing when a young man walks in and bread is suddenly the last thing on his mind.

He tries very hard not to stare at the gorgeous creature that is being seated right next to him, but it’s really hard. Not just because he’s so handsome he cannot be describe as anything but  _hot_ , but because he looks a bit nervous, glancing around and tugging on the sleeves of what is undeniably a new suit, as if he feels out of place. Merlin wants nothing more than to reassure him that he’s got every right to be there even if he knows nothing of the man and feels more than ready to get into a brawl with anyone who would dare say otherwise.

He forces himself to look away before the stranger can catch him staring and he has to roll his eyes at his own behaviour.

He thought he had left all that nonsense behind him after that crazy year of courting Harry, but apparently, it just takes a pretty enough face to get him going again. He’d feel bad about it, but it’s not like Harry hasn’t had his fair share of lovers over the years, so it’s not like he could say anything about Merlin falling in lust at first sight. Anyway, he just knows that the man also fit Harry’s type to a T and that if he had seen him first, he would already be flirting.

His breath hitches at the fantasy this last thought brings to his mind. He’s always liked seeing Harry all caught up in the passion of one of his romances and he cannot help but imagine what it would be like to see him with the object of his affection in real time.

He takes a sip of water to force and calm himself. He’s being overtly presumptuous, if not into thinking Harry would be as taken by the young man as he himself is, then because he’s not even talked to said young man yet. And gorgeous as he is and with Merlin’s luck, he’ll probably be waiting for his own date to arrive or something.

But that he won’t know unless he actually speak to him and Merlin has never been shy about going after what he wants and he sure won’t start being now.

And so he finally makes eye contact with the young man, smile warmly and silently thanks the waiter for bringing a basket of bread at the table right now and giving him an excuse to speak to him.

“Be careful with that bread, it’s quite the treacherous thing.”


	2. Eggsy

It takes Eggsy a moment to realise that the very handsome man sitting at the table next to him is actually talking to him and that he isn’t daydreaming.

“What?” He winces at how loud his voice is, but a quick glance around the room is enough to reassure him no one is looking at him. Except sexy man at the other table that is. “I mean,” he starts over much lower after clearing his throat awkwardly, “I’m sorry, what?”

He feels like a damn fool, but the other man is still smiling at him kindly and it’s still making butterflies flutter around in his stomach.

“The bread – I advise you don’t eat too much of it. It’s rather good, but more filling than you would expect.”

“Oh, thanks for the tip guv,” he nearly groans out loud when he slips back into his real accent rather than the posh one he’s been using since he step his first foot here, but the other man’s smile only turns warmer. And he might be wrong, but he thinks there is a little gleam of hunger in his dark eyes and Eggsy really needs to make a conscious effort not to put himself on display here.

“Ye’re welcome lad,” and his brogue has deepened now and he winks, as if they’re sharing a secret now and that’s it Eggsy is definitely blushing now. “It would be a shame to ruin your dinner. The food here is amazing.”

He blushes even harder at the words, but now it’s from embarrassment. “Is it that obvious then?” The man raises an eyebrow at him, obviously confused and Eggsy curses himself for not keeping his insecurities to himself. “That I don’t belong here,” he clarifies in a mumble, wishing the ground could swallow him whole.

But the other man doesn’t makes fun of him, instead giving a small shake of his head. “If you don’t belong here, then I don’t either lad. For all I know, you could have been a regular patron here. I just wanted an excuse to speak to you.”

There is no way Eggsy can mistake  _that_ for anything but the man flirting with him and he if his cheeks get any hotter, he fears they’ll catch fire.

He should really say something,  _anything_ , but it’s like he’s forgotten how speaking is done now that there’s very little doubt in his mind he’s being flirted at.

“But you’re probably waiting on your date…” He trails off and Eggsy knows that he’s being offered an out, but that’s actually the last thing he wants.

“No, no date. Just celebrating my first real paycheck.” As soon as the words leaves his mouth, he wants to bangs his head on the table. Way to sound pathetic there. Celebrating by eating alone in a restaurant he’s got no place to be in. And yet, the other man simply nods, as if it makes perfect sense.

“Well then, congratulation…?”

It takes him a moment to realise the man is asking for his name and he chuckles shyly as he offers his hand for a shake. “Eggsy. Eggsy Unwin.”

“Charmed to meet you Eggsy. I’m Hamish Hart. But my friends call me Merlin.”

He’s about to ask him what his  _lovers_ call him when two things happen.

First, he notices the wedding ring on Merlin’s hand and Eggsy feels his stomach drop because he’s many things, but a homewrecker has never been on the list.

Second, another drop-dead gorgeous bloke walks up to their tables, curly hair that begs to be messed with and happy dimples that Eggsy wants to kiss. Until he spots the ring on the hand he’s raising to put on Merlin’s shoulder and _fuck_ , Merlin still got his hand in a firm but soft grip and he’s going to get thrown out before even getting a bite of the bread isn’t he?


	3. Harry

It’s only after he’s kissed Merlin’s cheek in greeting that Harry notices the gorgeous young man at the other table and how his husband is still clinging to his hand much longer than a polite handshake requires.

The young man looks both aroused and scared,his eyes darting to their wedding rings and Harry really hopes he hasn’t just ruined whatever was happening between the two. It’s not often that Merlin takes a real interest into anyone else and it’s the first time he’s ever taken a shine to a stranger since they met about ten years ago.

“Sorry I’m late,” his words end in happy sigh when Merlin twist around just enough to press his lips against his cheek in return. But for once, he doesn’t let himself get lost in the moment and instead he presses his hand a bit more firmly on Merlin’s shoulder, pushing him slightly toward his new companion to remind him that they are not alone.

“It’s okay, I had a new friend to keep me company,” his husband turns back to the young man, finally realising he’s still holding his hand because he lets it go reluctantly. “Harry, please meet Eggsy Unwin. Eggsy, this is my husband Harry Hart.”

Eggsy awkwardly offers his hand and Harry decides to take a chance. Rather than going for a handshake, he gently grasp the hand between both of his and leans down to press a kiss on the back of his hand.

Eggsy’s soft gasp is echoed by Merlin’s and he offers the young man his most charming smile. “I’m delighted to meet you. Thank you for keeping Merlin’s company.” He would make a joke about how he’s a bad husband, but he fears the reminder would only make the other man nervous again. “Are you waiting on someone yourself?”

He hopes not, because already he wants to keep him all to himself. Or rather, _themselves_. It’s never happened before that Merlin and him have fallen for the same person, but now that it’s happening, his only wish is that Eggsy will be amenable to being courted by the two of them.

Eggsy shakes his head, looking tongue-tied.

“He said he was celebrating on his own tonight,” Merlin pipes in kindly, but Eggsy seems a tad ashamed about it. Not that he’s got any reason to be. One shouldn’t have to wait on others to spoil themselves a little.

“Celebrating hmm? Can we join you with that? Or rather, will you grant us the pleasure of your company tonight?” He might be laying it a bit thick, but the young man truly is intriguing. And even if nothing comes out of it, that shouldn’t stop either of them to have fun tonight. “It would be very impolite of me to cut short your and Merlin’s conversation.”

“Me barging in your dinner date wouldn’t be very polite either, no?” It’s not the answer Harry expected, but paired with the longing look in Eggsy’s eyes, he really couldn’t have asked for a better one.

“Nonsense. I wouldn’t have extended the invitation if I didn’t mean it.”

And before Eggsy can protest some more, he signals at the nearest waiter to bring another chair to their table.

Eggsy is still a bit hesitant, but it doesn’t take long before he relaxes and the conversation picks up again, one of the most enjoyable Harry’s had in months. And maybe he’s biased by how lovely Eggsy looks with a blush on his cheeks from all of his and Merlin’s flirting, but who could blame him really?

Certainly not his husband, judging by how he takes every excuses to brush Eggsy’s hands with his own, eyes growing hungry at every shy smile he gets in return.

It’s nearly enough to make Harry reconsider their rule of not bringing anyone home after the first date.

A temptation that is made even worse when Eggsy let them both kiss him on the cheek when they part for the night after he’s given them his number.

He’ll just have to convince Merlin that asking for another date on the very next day doesn’t come off as desperate.


End file.
